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From destination wedding plans in Italy to a simple elopement at city hall, Mike and Trinh settled on a last-minute compromise with an intimate celebration on the cliffs of Big Sur, California. They shared vows in front of those they love most with ocean views for as far as the eye can see. Thanks to Jessica Kay for an entire gallery waiting in The Vault.

From the Bride…Originally I had different wedding plans from having the wedding in the coast of Italy to just eloping at San Francisco city hall. Two months before our wedding date, we compromised and decided to have it in Big Sur, California which is about a 3 hour drive from where we currently reside. Mike and I have traveled the world together and lived in several different cities before Mike proposed in NorCal where he was born and raised in a small town.

I am an artist and nature gal at heart, my vision for our wedding was to incorporate as much nature and us in there as possible. Big Sur has captured my heart long ago when we first visited, she has her unique beauty and a sense of adventure like myself. Big Sur reminded me of my adventures around the world, living on the edge, and trekking to many mountains including Machu Picchu and Mount Everest. Although, I’ve never been to Point 16 before, when I saw the photos of the venue online I knew that I wanted our wedding ceremony to be on that point overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean. Our love story has been about adventures, taking risks, and making sacrifices and I think that’s what keeps it all exciting and we’re still very much in love since day one.

Although I am proud to be Vietnamese American, many days of my life was spent living and working in Europe. I’ve always admired French and Italian artists along with their culture and aesthetics. I wanted to incorporate a Tuscany garden feel, Greek romance, and French countryside and California laid back to the dinner table which included old clay pots filled with olive branches and few florals, macaroons for take away gifts, and name cards handwritten in watercolor by me. My wedding designer Joy Nicolas helped carried out the rest of my vision, and I couldn’t have done it without her.

Growing up I enjoyed reading Greek methodology, and in late 2000s I visited a few parts of Greece and loved it there too. I created the design for my dress which was influence by Grecian clothing. My vision of my dress came to life thanks to my friend Judy from Julee Chic Bridal based in San Jose, CA. I tried on so many dresses, I’m very petite, and I didn’t have much time to keep looking for dresses so I simply wanted to have one custom made.

Everyone enjoyed the organic food that was locally sourced by our caterer Cheri and prepared right there at the outdoor kitchen. The view was amazing according to everyone. On a normal day, this part of Big Sur is sunny with a nice breeze. However, recently the big fire has been burning over 100k acre of the forest two weeks prior to our wedding left a haze which also left a very beautiful sunset for our sunset photos. In the end all we have left are photographs, which were captured by Jessica Kay Photography perfectly.

From the Bride to be…Matt and I were introduced by his sister-in-law during my senior year in college at a fundraiser. He was (and still is) hilarious, nerdy, and awkward enough to give me the wrong number during our initial phone number exchange. Our first date was at a Halloween party, to where he wore a Slytherin crest on his costume knowing that it was my favorite Harry Potter house. That’s when I knew a magical adventure was in the works.

Over the years, we’ve grown to love nature and have made experiencing it a priority in our lives. We’ve traveled near and far to some of the most enchanting parts of the world and Matt even pulled off an epic proposal in Yosemite National Park! The next stop for us was Big Sur and taking our engagement photos there was only natural.

When we discovered Faith of Winsome of Wright, we were in awe. Her photos were beautiful and her personality was even more so. She was friendly, positive, and helpful right from the beginning. During the session, she made us feel comfortable and knew exactly what she was doing with the camera. We give Winsome and Wright our highest of recommendations.

At this point we all know about the letter in a bottle, but for those of us that need a refersher? Click through The Vault and you’ll be up to date. Essentially it’s the perfect lil’ inspo that may (or may not have) inspired it all and thanks to Cassidy Carson we’ve got every bit of it below.

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From Cassidy Carson…On the journey to create a simple yet mystical elopement, Southern Social’s scouting team knew the perfect setting for Grace and Connor encompassed a stunning backdrop to their pewter color palette. To incorporate Grace and Connor’s road trip memories across the west coast, the ocean was the completed link to the winning location. The dreamy Pfeiffer Beach tucked away in the small town of Big Sur with its mysterious purple sand and towering cliffs made for the most romantic and intimate ceremony. A radiant sunset, whipping waves and sea spray were welcome accompaniments imposing a sense of effortless poise in Cassidy’s photos. Petal & Pine crafted Grace’s captivating bouquet foraging local flowers and pairing with Silk and Willow’s finest ribbon that delicately danced in the wind. But, Grace’s Oceana Monique Lhuillier gown paired with a cathedral veil handmade by Alice & Mae and a classic smoky eye by Leslie Ellis stole the show! Olive Juice Press created handsome stationery including hand-made paper immersed with sweet love notes for Grace and Connor’s bottle toss into the ocean, as well as hand-lettered oyster shells for keepsakes for the handful of wedding VIPs in attendance. Grace, Connor and guests were enthralled by the power of simplicity at this gorgeous elopement!